George Walpole, 3rd Earl of Orford
Encyclopedia
George Walpole, 3rd Earl of Orford (2 April 1730 – 5 December 1791) was a British
administrator and peer
.
and his wife Margaret Rolle, Baroness Clinton in her own right. His parents separated shortly after his birth. His father's mistress, Hannah Norsa, a celebrated singer and actress at Covent Garden
took up residence at Houghton Hall from 1736 until his father's death. Orford's mother married again in 1751 and was buried at Leghorn in 1781, "a woman of very singular character and considered half mad".
Resident at Houghton Hall
in Norfolk, between 1751 and 1791 he served as High Steward of King's Lynn
, recently but by then no longer the nation's third most important port because of the expansion of transatlantic trade from the west coast, and also High Steward of Yarmouth
then a major fishing port.
He was Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk
from 1757 and was appointed Colonel of the Norfolk Militia in 1759. He also served as a Lord of the Bedchamber
to King George II
until the latter's death, and then to King George III until 1782.
On his father's death, 31 March 1751, he succeeded as 3rd Earl of Orford
. On the death of his mother in 1781 he became the sixteenth Baron Clinton
.
An intended marriage to an heiress, Margaret Nicoll was disrupted by his uncle Lord Walpole of Wolterton, Margaret married the Duke of Chandos
. Orford was a celebrated falconer
, but became extravagant (his father died probably bankrupt) and increasingly eccentric and eventually died insane. He left no legitimate heirs having never married and at his death, aged 61, all of his titles, except the title of Baron Clinton
, were passed to his uncle Horace Walpole
who also took the still heavily encumbered Houghton estate.
's magnificent art collection to Catherine the Great. It now forms part of the core of the collection at The Hermitage
in St Petersburg.
Orford intended his sale of the pictures to have taken place in secrecy but his plan soon leaked out and became of intense interest to the public. The trustees of the British Museum petitioned parliament for their purchase and the erection of a new building in the grounds of the British Museum. The eventual sale to the Empress of Russia was regarded as a national calamity.
204 paintings were received in St Petersburg, some were sold during the 1930s and 126 pictures now remain at The Hermitage.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
administrator and peer
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
.
Life
Lord Orford was the only child of the 2nd Earl of OrfordRobert Walpole, 2nd Earl of Orford
Robert Walpole, 2nd Earl of Orford , was a British peer, styled as The Lord Walpole from 1723 to 1745.-Family:He was the eldest son of the King's First Minister, now regarded as the first Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole , and his first wife Catherine...
and his wife Margaret Rolle, Baroness Clinton in her own right. His parents separated shortly after his birth. His father's mistress, Hannah Norsa, a celebrated singer and actress at Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
took up residence at Houghton Hall from 1736 until his father's death. Orford's mother married again in 1751 and was buried at Leghorn in 1781, "a woman of very singular character and considered half mad".
Resident at Houghton Hall
Houghton Hall
Houghton Hall is a country house in Norfolk, England. It was built for the de facto first British Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole, and it is a key building in the history of Palladian architecture in England...
in Norfolk, between 1751 and 1791 he served as High Steward of King's Lynn
King's Lynn
King's Lynn is a sea port and market town in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in the East of England. It is situated north of London and west of Norwich. The population of the town is 42,800....
, recently but by then no longer the nation's third most important port because of the expansion of transatlantic trade from the west coast, and also High Steward of Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
then a major fishing port.
He was Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk
Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk
This is an incomplete list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk. Since 1689, all Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Norfolk.*Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex 1557–1559*Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk 1559–1572...
from 1757 and was appointed Colonel of the Norfolk Militia in 1759. He also served as a Lord of the Bedchamber
Lord of the Bedchamber
A Lord of the Bedchamber, previously known as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber was a courtier in the Royal Household of the King of the United Kingdom and the Prince of Wales. A Lord of the Bedchamber's duties consisted of assisting the King with his dressing, waiting on him when he ate in private,...
to King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
until the latter's death, and then to King George III until 1782.
On his father's death, 31 March 1751, he succeeded as 3rd Earl of Orford
Earl of Orford
Earl of Orford is a title that has been created three times. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1697 in favour of the naval commander Edward Russell, who served three times as First Lord of the Admiralty. He was created Baron Shingay and Viscount Barfleur at the same time...
. On the death of his mother in 1781 he became the sixteenth Baron Clinton
Baron Clinton
Baron Clinton is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1298 for John de Clinton. The peerage was created by writ, which means that it can descend through both male and female lines. The first Baron's great-great-great-grandson, the fifth Baron, fought on the Yorkist side in the Wars...
.
An intended marriage to an heiress, Margaret Nicoll was disrupted by his uncle Lord Walpole of Wolterton, Margaret married the Duke of Chandos
James Brydges, 3rd Duke of Chandos
James Brydges, 3rd Duke of Chandos PC , styled Marquess of Carnarvon from 1744 to 1771, was a British peer and politician.-Background:...
. Orford was a celebrated falconer
Falconry
Falconry is "the taking of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained raptor". There are two traditional terms used to describe a person involved in falconry: a falconer flies a falcon; an austringer flies a hawk or an eagle...
, but became extravagant (his father died probably bankrupt) and increasingly eccentric and eventually died insane. He left no legitimate heirs having never married and at his death, aged 61, all of his titles, except the title of Baron Clinton
Baron Clinton
Baron Clinton is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1298 for John de Clinton. The peerage was created by writ, which means that it can descend through both male and female lines. The first Baron's great-great-great-grandson, the fifth Baron, fought on the Yorkist side in the Wars...
, were passed to his uncle Horace Walpole
Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford
Horatio Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford was an English art historian, man of letters, antiquarian and Whig politician. He is now largely remembered for Strawberry Hill, the home he built in Twickenham, south-west London where he revived the Gothic style some decades before his Victorian successors,...
who also took the still heavily encumbered Houghton estate.
Gross mismanagement and extravagance
Orford is particularly remembered for his 1778 sale of his grandfatherRobert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
's magnificent art collection to Catherine the Great. It now forms part of the core of the collection at The Hermitage
Hermitage Museum
The State Hermitage is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. One of the largest and oldest museums of the world, it was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been opened to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display,...
in St Petersburg.
Orford intended his sale of the pictures to have taken place in secrecy but his plan soon leaked out and became of intense interest to the public. The trustees of the British Museum petitioned parliament for their purchase and the erection of a new building in the grounds of the British Museum. The eventual sale to the Empress of Russia was regarded as a national calamity.
204 paintings were received in St Petersburg, some were sold during the 1930s and 126 pictures now remain at The Hermitage.
Styles from birth to death
- The Hon. George Walpole (1730-1745)
- Viscount Walpole (1745-1751)
- The Rt Hon. The Earl of Orford (1751-1791)
- Baron Clinton (1781-1791)
See also
- Robert Walpole, 2nd Earl of OrfordRobert Walpole, 2nd Earl of OrfordRobert Walpole, 2nd Earl of Orford , was a British peer, styled as The Lord Walpole from 1723 to 1745.-Family:He was the eldest son of the King's First Minister, now regarded as the first Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole , and his first wife Catherine...
- Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of OrfordHorace Walpole, 4th Earl of OrfordHoratio Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford was an English art historian, man of letters, antiquarian and Whig politician. He is now largely remembered for Strawberry Hill, the home he built in Twickenham, south-west London where he revived the Gothic style some decades before his Victorian successors,...
- Earl of OrfordBaron WalpoleBaron Walpole, of Walpole in the County of Norfolk, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. The holders of the peerage also held the titles of Baron Walpole, of Houghton in the County of Norfolk, Viscount Walpole and Earl of Orford from 1745 to 1797, the title of Earl of Orford from 1806 to...
- Baron WalpoleBaron WalpoleBaron Walpole, of Walpole in the County of Norfolk, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. The holders of the peerage also held the titles of Baron Walpole, of Houghton in the County of Norfolk, Viscount Walpole and Earl of Orford from 1745 to 1797, the title of Earl of Orford from 1806 to...